U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,213,994 and 7,303,348 to Phipps et al. describe medicament, and other semiliquid material, dispensers, such as dispensers for metered dosing of cream-based medicines. “Compounding” pharmacists have used these dispensers for metered dosages of creams and other types of semiliquid materials that have been custom tailored to a particular patient (e.g., a custom mixture of different hormones or other medicines prepared in accordance with a prescription tailored to the needs of a particular patient).
Existing methods and devices for filling these, and other, dispensers at a pharmacy are undesirable, inefficient, and otherwise problematic. The creams and other types of semiliquid materials utilized in these dispensers are typically achieved through the use of a mortar and pestle. When using a traditional mortar and pestle, the resulting semiliquid material is typically transferred into the dispenser by a spoon or spatula. Alternatively, the cream or semiliquid material can also be achieved through the use of an electronic mortar and pestle (“EMP”), in which the semiliquid material is realized in a jar, commonly referred to as an “EMP jar,” through the use of an electric-powered mortar or hammer. From the EMP jar, the semiliquid material may then be squirted or pushed out of the jar and into the dispenser via a lid of the jar through the application of force to a compressible floor of the jar. Both methods, however, require a certain amount of energy and dexterity on behalf of the pharmacist. These requirements are further amplified on days in which a pharmacist must fill upwards of 200 such dispensers. Such filling may physically exhaust or drain a pharmacist, in addition to monopolizing valuable time.
Embodiments of the present invention provide improved systems, methods, and assemblies for at least semi-automated filling of dispensers, so as to save the user time and energy, while increasing the overall ease and efficiency of filling such dispensers.